Legion gears up for battle over veterans’ burials

By MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian PressPublished December 6, 2012 - 5:16am Last Updated December 6, 2012 - 8:03am

OTTAWA — The Royal Canadian Legion, once counted on by the government to be the voice of reason among veterans groups, is striking a more defiant tone and demanding federal officials address the issue of burial expenses for poor and homeless ex-soldiers.

A major annual conference among veterans groups is set to get underway in Charlottetown on Thursday, but the issue of the Last Post Fund — and the fact it has rejected two-thirds of applications since 2006 — is not on the agenda set by Veterans Affairs.

Brad White, an ex-army officer and the Legion’s Dominion Secretary, said his organization will not drop the issue of funeral coverage.

“I can’t understand why they won’t fix that,” said White.

Over the last six years, 20,147 applications were rejected by the Last Post Fund because the deceased veteran did not meet the eligibility criteria. To qualify a veteran must have earned less than $12,010 a year and served in Second World War, Korea, or been in receipt of a veterans disability pension.

There was a public outcry prior to Remembrance Day over the fund, which is an independent agency that administers the burial program on behalf of the federal government.

White says the fund was not even on the agenda for the meeting, but “we’re going to put it on the agenda.”

The fund has petitioned the Harper government not only to overhaul the rules, but to increase the stipend given to those who do qualify for assistance — so far to no avail.

A spokesman for Blaney said there’s no reluctance on the part of the government to discuss the issue, and he expects it will come up.